Evaluation of antioxidant enzymes activities and identification of intermediate products during phytoremediation of an anionic dye (C. I. Acid Blue 92) by pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris)

The potential of pennywort(Hydrocotyle vulgaris)for phytoremediation of C.I.Acid Blue 92(AB92)was evaluated.The efects of various experimental parameters including pH,temperature,dye concentration and plant weight on dye removal efciency were investigated.The results showed that the optimal condition for dye removal were pH 3.5 and temperature 25°C.Moreover,the absolute dye removal enhanced with increase in the initial dye concentration and plant weight.Pennywort showed the same removal efciency in repeated experiments(four runs)as that obtained from the first run(a 6-day period).Therefore,the ability of the plant in consecutive removal of AB92 confirmed the biodegradation process.Accordingly,a number of produced intermediate compounds were identified.The efect of treatment on photosynthesis and antioxidant defense system including superoxide dismutase,peroxidase and catalase in plant roots and leaves were evaluated.The results revealed a reduction in photosynthetic pigments content under dye treatments.Antioxidant enzyme responses showed marked variations with respect to the plant organ and dye concentration in the liquid medium.Overall,the increase in antioxidant enzyme activity under AB92 stress in the roots was much higher than that in the leaves.Nevertheless,no significant increase in malondialdehyde content was detected in roots or leaves,implying that the high efciency of antioxidant system in the elimination of reactive oxygen species.Based on these results,pennywort was founded to be a capable species for phytoremediation of AB92-contaminated water,may be efective for phytoremediation dye-contaminated polluted aquatic ecosystems.     

Variation of phytoplankton community before an induced cyanobacterial （Arthrospira platensis ） bloom

A cyanobacterial (Arthrospira platensis) bloom was induced in situ by nutrient manipulation in an enclosure. The succession of the phytoplankton community and the water chemistry variations before the appearance of bloom, as well as their relationship, were investigated. The cell pigment variations were studied simultaneously. The Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between water chemistry and green algal or cyanobacterial composition, indicating that water chemistry variations were not suitable to be used as indicators for cyanobacterial-bloom early-warning. However, the diversity index of the phytoplankton community decreased sharply before the bloom appeared. Therefore, the dynamics of phytoplankton community was put forward to be an indicator for cyanobacterial-bloom early-warning. In addition, the cell pigment variations represented the changes of community structure, which should be useful for studying the dynamics of phytoplankton community.     

UV-B辐射增强对芦苇叶绿素荧光参数的影响

叶绿素荧光是光合作用的探针,可反映光合机构内一系列重要的调节过程.本文在露天条件下研究了不同UV-B辐照强度(对照:168μW·cm~2,低强度:210μW·cm~2,高强度:252μW·cm~2)对芦苇色素含量及叶绿素荧光参数的影响,探讨了芦苇光合生理对UV-B辐射的响应机制.结果表明:与自然光照相比,UV-B辐射增强对芦苇叶片表观造成一定的损伤,且随辐射梯度增大,损伤加剧.与自然光照相比,低辐射初期可促进芦苇叶片叶绿素a、叶绿素b、总叶绿素及类胡萝卜素含量增大,但随辐射时间延长抑制作用显现;高辐射下,芦苇叶绿素a、叶绿素b、总叶绿素及类胡萝卜素含量均显著降低.与自然光照相比,低辐射前期,叶绿素荧光参数无显著变化,随辐照时间延长,Fo、NPQ增高,Fm、Fv/Fm与Fv/Fo显著降低,ΦPSII值、q P降低.高辐射可显著增大Fo、NPQ,显著降低Fm、Fv/Fm、Fv/Fo、ΦPSII,降低q P.试验结束时,处理组NPQ均低于对照,且随辐射梯度增大,下降幅度加剧.UV-B辐射对PSII的破坏作用随辐射强度增大而增大.     

A Comparison of Sediment and Monitoring Data: Implications for Paleomonitoring a Small Lake

Long-term limnological monitoring data (from 1971 to 2001) were compared with sediment core record in Lake Viitna Linajärv (hereafter L. Viitna), a small lake in northern Estonia. The monitoring data show that L. Viitna changed from mesotrophic in the 1970s to eutrophic in the 1990s. The trends of paleodata thatintegrate the changes in the biogeochemical matter cycling in the lake over 2–3 years have clear signals about changes in the state ofthe ecosystem in L. Viitna during the last decades. A gradual increase in organic productivity should reflect a greater oxygen demand in the hypolimnion. As a result the hypolimnion becameseasonally anoxic earlier and its pH level remained low for a longer time. These fundamental changes near the sediment-water interface were recorded in the sediment core. The greatest changes occurred at the beginning of the 1980s (layers at a depthof ca. 20 cm), when the meso(eu?)trophic conditions in L. Viitnastarted to become increasingly more eutrophic. The variations ofpaleorecords in the upper part of the sediment core coincide temporally with changes in the water level of the lake.     

Hormesis-like growth and photosynthetic physiology of marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin exposed to polystyrene microplastics

• Polystyrene microplastic caused hormesis-like effects in Phaeodactylum tricornutum. • Low concentration of microplastic promoted growth, otherwise the opposite was true. • The change trends of pigment contents were opposite at two initial algae densities. • The chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were more sensitive at low algae density. The effects of pristine polystyrene microplastics (pMPs) without any pretreatment at different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mg/L) on Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin at two initial algae densities (10⁵ and 10⁶ cells/mL) were assessed in this study. Hormesis-like effects were found when microalgae grew with pMPs. The results showed that pMPs inhibited microalgae growth under a high concentration of microplastics tolerated by individual algal cell (low initial algae density) (up to −80.18±9.71%) but promoted growth when the situation was opposite (up to 15.27±3.66%). The contents of photosynthetic pigments including chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c and carotenoids showed resistance to pMPs stress under a low initial algae density and increased with time, but the opposite was true under a high initial algae density. Compared with the low initial algae density group, Qp received less inhibition, and NPQ (heat dissipation) also decreased under the high initial algae density. Under the low initial algae density, OJIP parameters such as S_m, N, Area, Pi Abs, ѱ_o, φ_Eo, TRo/RC and ETo/RC were more perturbed initially and returned to the levels of the control group (without pMPs) over time, but they remained stable throughout the experiment at high initial algae density. These results show that microplastics in the marine environment may have different toxic effects on P. tricornutum at different growth stages, which is of great significance for understanding the impact of microplastics on marine microalgae and aquatic ecosystems.     

Technogenic stress and its effect on deciduous trees (an example from parks in Yaroslavl)

A comparative analysis of several morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of leaves has been performed in birch (Betula pendula Roth), linden (Tilia cordata Mill.), and poplar (Populus nigra L.) trees growing in industrial areas of Yaroslavl with different levels of anthropogenic pollution. The results show that high concentrations of pollutants in the atmosphere suppress the growth of leaves, and the number and severity of necrotic lesions in them increase. Water content in leaves becomes lower, whereas ash content increases. The contents of photosynthetic pigments change as well: the leaves contain smaller amounts of chlorophylls a and b, whereas the accumulation of carotenoids increases. Judging from changes in the test parameters, P. nigra is more resistant to pollution than B. pendula and T. nordata.     

高浓度氨氮胁迫对纤细裸藻的毒性效应

采用室内培养方法,通过检测纤细裸藻生长、光合色素含量、抗氧化酶活性及DNA损伤(彗星实验)研究了高浓度氨氮胁迫对纤细裸藻(Euglena gracilis)的毒性效应,以期为氨氮的水生态风险评价以及藻类污水净化提供科学依据.结果表明,氨氮在所设定的浓度范围内抑制藻类的生长,浓度越高,抑制越明显,2 000 mg·L-1时相比对照抑制率达55.7%;叶绿素含量随氨氮浓度增加先升高后下降,蛋白质含量与叶绿素变化趋势基本吻合;抗氧化酶系统中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性随氨氮浓度增加而上升,2 000 mg·L-1时比对照分别增加了30.7%和49.4%,提示氨氮胁迫可诱导抗氧化酶活性增加;彗星实验中,纤细裸藻细胞DNA损伤程度随氨氮浓度增加而加重,表明高浓度氨氮具有潜在的致突变性.     

Influence of short-term irrigation of textile mill wastewater on the growth of chickpea cultivars

The effect of textile mill wastewater on germination, delay index, physiological growth parameters, and plant pigments of two cultivars of chickpea was studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of textile mill wastewater (treated and untreated) at different concentrations (0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) for irrigational purposes. The textile effluent did not show any inhibitory effect on seed germination at a lower concentration (6.25%). The other reported plant parameters (delay index, root length, shoot length, dry weight, chlorophyll, and carotenoid) also followed a similar trend. Seeds germinated in 100% effluents but did not survive for longer periods. It has also been concluded that the effect of the textile effluent is cultivar-specific, and due care should be taken before using the textile mill wastewater for irrigation purposes.     

Ni2+胁迫对铜绿微囊藻（Microcystis aeruginosa）和集胞藻（Synechocystis sp.）的生长和光合色素的影响(Effects of Nickel on Growth and Photosynthetic Pigments of Microcystis aeruginosa and Synechocystis sp.)

光合作用是蓝藻生长繁殖的生理基础,研究重金属胁迫下蓝藻光合色素的变化和响应,有助于揭示其受害机理.在实验室无菌纯培养条件下,研究了不同浓度Ni2+处理下铜绿微囊藻和集胞藻的生物量和光合色素随时间的变化趋势.结果表明:浓度为5mg·L-1～25mg·L-1的Ni2+对M.aerugonisa的生长有抑制作用,随着处理剂量的增加和处理时间的延长,抑制作用愈加显著;在短时间(24h)内,Ni2+对Synechocystissp.的生长没有显著影响,随胁迫时间延长呈现出抑制作用;Ni2+处理M.aerugonisa至24h及Synechocystis sp.至48h时,藻细胞光吸收能力整体上受到明显抑制;5mg·L-1～25mg·L-1的Ni2+胁迫下,M.aerugonisa和Synechocystis sp.的叶绿素a含量随胁迫时间延长而降低;在叶绿素a(Chla)、藻蓝蛋白(PC)和别藻蓝蛋白(APC)三种光合色素中,藻蓝蛋白(PC)对Ni2+胁迫最为敏感,是Ni2+伤害蓝藻的重要作用位点.Ni2+对M.aerugonisa的抑制作用比Synechocystis sp.更明显.     

Phytotoxicity in seven higher plant species exposed to di-n-butyl phthalate or bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

We investigated phytotoxicity in seven plant species exposed to a range of concentrations (0– 500 mg·kg⁻¹ soil) of di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) or bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), two representative phthalate esters (PAEs) nominated by USEPA as priority pollutants and known environmental estrogens. We studied seed germination, root elongation, seedling growth, biomass (fresh weight, FW) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of shoots and roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), radish (Raphanus sativus L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), oat (Avena sativa) and onion (Allium cepa L.), together with monitoring of plant pigment content (chlorophyll a, b and carotinoids) in alfalfa, radish and onion shoots. Root elongation, seedling growth and biomass of the test species were generally inhibited by DnBP but not by DEHP, indicating a lower level of phytotoxicity of DEHP than of DnBP. MDA contents of four species were promoted by PAE exposure, but not in alfalfa, ryegrass or onion shoots, indicating lower sensitivity of these three species to PAE pollutants. Plant pigment contents were clearly affected under the stress of both pollutants, implying the potential damage to the photosynthetic system of test plants, mainly by decreasing the content of chlorophyll a and b. Results of DnBP and DEHP phytotoxicity to the primary growth of test plants has provided information for the assessment of their environmental risk in the soil and also forms a basis for the further analysis of their toxic effects over the whole growth period of different plant species.